


A Cry in the Dark

by whatthehalestilinski



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 00:02:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatthehalestilinski/pseuds/whatthehalestilinski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek is forced into a task he isn't very experienced with when the monster of the week kidnaps three of their pack members and Stiles starts freaking out. With Cora, Isaac and Peter downstairs going over their plan of rescue, Derek is left up in the loft to calm Stiles down himself. </p><p>Not that he'd trust the others to do it anyway. He just wishes he were a little better, more confident in what he's doing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Cry in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> this is from a prompt i got on my ask.fm but because that account is connected to my school twitter, i couldn't link the asker here from there so im pretty much betting on them following my tweets bc i will be linking this here a bunch.
> 
> the prompt was: "derek calms down stiles from a panic attack,"
> 
> which isn't very extensive, but i'm thankful for it all the same
> 
> i'm not really happy with the way i wrote stiles in this state, as i've been through a couple panic attacks myself, so please dont be surprised or upset if i change a little piece by piece until im happy ok ya but just keep in mind that this isn't fluff or particularly relationship-y or anything 
> 
> THIS IS UNBETA'D BY THE WAY SORRY
> 
> alright, that's it i promise!!!!! enjoy, and remember feedback is pretty much my bestfriend bc its constructive so yes please do it ily!!!!!!!!!!

"Stiles." Derek doesn't really know what he's doing, but worry rises in his chest and he needs to do something, anything. "Stiles, look at me."

Stiles does, but his eyes are distant and there's a single tear running down his cheek. Derek ignores it, trying to catch Stiles' gaze completely. He isn't breathing very well for someone who's been practicing for some 16 years.

"It's -- it's a panic attack -- it's because I can't -- we're just sitting here -- we can't  _do_ anything --"

"Stiles, listen to me, you have to breathe." He's crying more now, his back shaking. Derek feels awkward, seeing Stiles vulnerable like this. He usually keeps any emotions that aren't Sarcastic Asshole under wraps. Derek supposes that kind of goes for the both of them, the only difference being Stiles lets himself feel happy whenever he can.

Stiles goes back to looking at his hands, which are shaking considerably as he picks at his nails. "Stiles--" slowly, Derek moves to go touch Stiles' arm lightly, but as soon as his fingers brush the skin, Stiles' head snaps up and Derek pulls his hand back. He doesn't want to intimidate Stiles or make whatever he's going through worse.

That's when Stiles takes a breath, finally bigger than the jagged ones he's been surviving on up until now. "She's not coming back," Stiles says slowly, getting the words out as clearly as he can."Those goddamn--" His voice breaks.

"Stiles," Derek interrupts, trying to save him the trouble, but he just plows through.

"Those goddamn  _witches_  have Scott and Lydia and now Allison too, and don't you dare try to lie to me here, because it won't help."

Scott and Lydia had been taken by a coven of witches they've been hunting for weeks yesterday after school, seperately. Allison had been with the rest of them in the loft until two hours ago, when she left saying she was going to blow off some useless energy by shooting targets. She and Stiles had been texting while she was gone, but about an hour ago she stopped replying. Derek imagines it was the hour mark that threw Stiles over the edge.

He can't pinpoint why, but for some reason thinking about Stiles getting upset over Allison makes Derek's stomach drop and his wolf growl. He feels his teeth clench.

"I'm not going to lie to you."

"You were."

Derek sighs. "When the sun goes down, we'll go straight to the warehouse we tracked the scent to earlier. You'll have the baseball bat Deaton modified for you; Cora, Isaac, Peter and I will have our teeth. We will fight -- and, if we have to, kill -- to get them back. Satisfied?"

"And the--" Stiles shapes his fingers like claws.

"What? Uh -- yeah, and we'll have our claws."

Stiles' words come easier now, probably because he's focusing on the conversation as opposed to his friends being missing. "What do you mean, 'if we have to?' Isn't your thing the whole 'kill-first-ask-questions-later' approach?"

"Yeah, well, maybe Scott's rubbing off on me. Is that illegal?"

"No it's -- it's good. I'm proud of you, man." Stiles lifts a shaky arm to punch Derek lightly in the shoulder. Then, seeming exhausted, he brings his head back to rest on the wall of the loft he's currently leaning against, focusing on his breathing.

After a while, when Stiles has started silently freaking out again, he whispers something that, if Derek were human, he probably wouldn't have been able to hear.

"Please distract me."   

It gets Derek's heart beating quickly in his chest, freaks him out because he doesn't know _how_. He needs Stiles functioning for the upcoming rescue mission in an hour or two (at least to come to the warehouse so he's in sight and can be protected), but he doesn't know how much help he can be with what Stiles wants or needs right now. "I'll go get Cora or Isaac, they --"

"I meant you." Stiles eyes are closed and he still speaks in a soft whisper. The next word he tries to get out a little louder, even though his voice breaks again. "Please."

"I don't--"

"Please, Derek."

Derek feels his stomach warm, but that doesn't mean he's any better at what Stiles is asking of him. He has no idea what to do in a situation like this, has never been particularly good with words, but he has to do something, so he just walks over and sits down on the ground next to Stiles, leaning against the wall. What really surprises him, though, is when Stiles slowly moves closer and leans on him, resting his head on Derek's shoulder.

Stiles being so close makes his heartbeat even clearer -- louder -- to Derek, and for some reason it overwhelms him, takes him over, controls him. He finds himself staring down at the top of Stiles' head, where the hair he has finally let grow stands messy, probably from Stiles running his hands through it. He feels his heart swell in his chest, and he has to take a deep breath to focus himself. He can feel Stiles' heartbeat slowing, becoming more regular as they breathe in time.

 

That doesn't last long, because of course Derek makes the stupid decision to weave his arm around Stiles' waist, and while Stiles himself tries not to react, his heartbeat flies through the roof. Derek is about to pull his hand back again, about to mentally scorn himself, when Stiles grabs the hand at his hip with his own, holding it there.

Again, Stiles has surprised Derek, and continues to do so when he intertwines their fingers on his hip. Stiles slides down a bit more, so his head is now resting on Derek's chest, and lets out a breath. A healthy, proper human breath.

 

*  
  


Derek doesn't even realize they've fallen asleep together until he's woken up to the sounds of Isaac, Peter and Cora cooing at them, taking pictures. He shakes Stiles, waking him up too, even though he was probably only pretending to still be asleep anyway. They all get ready for the rescue mission together, setting out right when the last sliver of the sun has dropped below the horizon.

Derek prays no one notices that he keeps a closer eye on Stiles that night during the fight than he ever has before (which is saying something) even though, by the snickers and whispering later when everyone's safe, the entire pack have probably figured it out already anyway. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for sticking with me!!!! i hope you liked it but idk if you see anything wrong with it pls don't hesitate to either comment here or tell me anonymously on tumblr. i promise i wont be offended!!!!!!
> 
> my tumblr: sterecked.tumblr.com  
> my twitter: @spoopernaturai (((its a capital i so it looks like an L)))


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